


Just Another First-Day-Of-Kindergarten Fic

by Carrot_Bunny



Series: MakoHaru Festival 2015 [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: Family, Gen, Half the cast is genderbent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-13 18:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3392153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carrot_Bunny/pseuds/Carrot_Bunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Now now Kiku, you know you have to go to kindergarten alone.” Written for the Official Makoharu Festival 2015 - it's posted on their Tumblr page now!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Another First-Day-Of-Kindergarten Fic

On the first day of kindergarten, Yamazaki Shouta strode into the building as if she owned the place, flashing her shark-tooth grin at her new schoolmates; Ryugazaki Mizuki pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he bid farewell to his parents and his little sister at the school gate; Mikoshiba Chiaki hung shyly about at the edge of a group of happily chatting girls as they walked into the school compound.

And Tachibana Kiku held on to her mother’s hand as both stared stoutly at her father.

“Now now Kiku, you know you have to go to kindergarten alone,” Makoto said in a persuading tone.

“Then I won’t go.” Kiku had her father’s eyes, but in all other aspects she looked exactly like her mother, down to the stubborn set of her jaw as she refused to comply.

Makoto turned to his wife. “Haru-chan, you know you can’t hold Kiku back from attending preschool.”

“Drop the –chan,” Haruka deadpanned. “Kiku can always be homeschooled.”

Makoto sighed in exasperation. “Kiku, don’t you want to go to school with Mizuki-kun and Chiaki-kun?”

“They’re annoying,” Kiku stated.

“That what about Shouta-chan? She’s your best friend.”

“She’s annoying too.” Kiku looked away as she said that though.

“Kiku! Hey Kiku!” Shouta came bounding towards them, her red hair flying. She skidded to a halt right before she collided into them, her aqua eyes sparkling. “I’ve got you a seat next to me in class, right at the front! There’s also an aquarium with all sorts of cool fish, and a set of crayons that comes in 48 colours!”

“48 colours?” Kiku’s eyebrows perked up in interest.

“Yeah, but we gotta get to them fast, otherwise they’ll be taken! I’ll go grab them first!” And Shouta dashed off again without waiting for a reply.

Kiku looked up at her mother uncertainly, then at her hand wrapped around her mother’s wrist. Haruka immediately squatted down so she was eye to eye with her daughter. “Those crayons sound fun.”

Kiku fidgeted a little. “You’ll be here when school ends, right Mom?”

“Right.”

The little girl threw her arms around her mother. “I love you.”

“Me too.” Haruka then put her mouth to Kiku’s ear. “I’ll never let go.”

Kiku’s face brightened. “I won’t either.” She then ran in through the gates, waving to her parents over her shoulder.

Makoto stepped towards his wife as she stood up. “Did you watch _Titanic_ with Kiku again yesterday?”

“She said it would help her feel less nervous.” The two of them had wondered before why their young daughter’s favorite movie would be a three-hour long tale of tragedy and sinking ships, but once Haruka decided it must be the water they’d left it at that, though Makoto suspected that she had an natural inclination for the romantic like her Aunt Rin.

And speaking of Rin, “Her third child already. You would’ve thought Rin would be used to it by now,” Haruka remarked as she looked over to where Sousuke had an arm around his tearful wife.

“Shouta’s her only daughter. It makes sense she’d be more attached this time.”

“She’s closer to the boys though. Shouta’s more of a daddy’s girl.”

“Yup, and Sou-chan’s a total daughter’s dad,” Nagisa piped up as she and Rei made their way towards the Tachibanas. She nodded in the direction of Rin, who was now laughing through her tears as she wiped her husband’s watery eyes clean.

“Looks like he caught the sentimental bug from my sister,” Gou grinned as she popped up beside Nagisa. “Seijuurou’s still shouting encouragement to Chiaki through the gates. I don’t even want to imagine what Momo’ll do next year.”

“Oh yeah, Misaki-chan’s starting next year with Kaoru-chan, right?” Makoto smiled down at the little girl clinging to Nagisa’s legs, who smiled shyly in return and nodded.

“Don't worry, Ai-chan will keep him in check.” Nagisa ruffled her daughter’s blue hair. “Kaoru, you said you wanted to go to Aunty Haru’s cafe and eat strawberry cake just now?”

“Yeah!”

“Aren’t you the one who wanted to eat cake?”  
“Geez Rei-chan, I gotta keep up appearances as an adult.”

“I wonder why you even try.”

“Oh come on Rei, isn’t that why you married her?”

“Haruka-senpai!”

“Plus, I seem to recall you have a preference for strawberry cake as well.”

“What’s all this talk of strawberry cake?” Rin had joined their group with Sousuke. “I’d come along, except I don’t want my hair ornamented with pastry like last time.”

“It was an accident,” Haruka stated flatly.

“Well, you’re not convincing anyone with that tone. Gou, Seijuurou’s looking for you.”

“Oh, thank you! Sorry I can’t join you guys.”

“There’s always next time. Come along then, it’s all on me. You know, to celebrate the littlest brat’s entry into the education system.”

Nagisa giggled. “You and Sou-chan cried a waterfall between yourselves for the ‘brat’ just now.”

“None of your cheek Hazuki, you weren’t any better yourself. That butterfly-patterned handkerchief of your husband’s must’ve been soaked through.”

“Ah, but most of that was Rei-chan’s fault.”

“Nagisa-kun!”

“Hey Ryugazaki, do you call her ‘-kun’ when in bed as well?”

“Not you too, Yamazaki-senpai!”

As the banter carried on while they walked, Haruka gazed at each of her friends’ faces in turn. They’d been through so much together, she knew they would always remain in her thoughts no matter where they were. Her eyes settled on Makoto’s face as he turned to look at her, and without thinking their hands found each other. He was smiling that tender smile of his. “Never let go of me too, please?”

“Not in a million years.” Haruka squeezed his hand as they went after the others.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Makoto and Haruka know there are some scenes in Titanic that aren't exactly suitable for Kiku's age, i.e.: the 'car scene'. They just covered her eyes during those parts, m'kay?


End file.
